South Africans heading to voting stations this weekend should prepare for cold and windy conditions, with scattered showers and thunderstorms forecast across several provinces.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned that predominantly cloudy and cold weather is expected over the central and eastern parts of the country on Saturday and Sunday, 20 and 21 June, when the Electoral Commission opens 23 706 registration stations nationwide.
Voting stations will operate from 08:00 to 17:00 on both days, allowing citizens to register ahead of upcoming elections.
Scattered showers forecast across multiple provinces
While the eastern and central regions will bear the brunt of the cold conditions, other areas are expected to be partly cloudy and cool. The extreme western parts of the country can expect warmer weather, SAWS said.
Isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers are forecast over parts of the Northern Cape, Free State and North West on Saturday, spreading to include the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Limpopo on Sunday. Light rain is also possible in places over Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.
Moderate to fresh winds are expected over the central and western interior, with strong gusts possible over the northern parts of the Western Cape, northern and western areas of the Northern Cape, and western parts of North West province.
Yellow warning issued for damaging winds
SAWS has issued a Yellow Level 1 warning for damaging winds over the northern and western parts of Namakwa District in the Northern Cape, as well as the northern parts of the West Coast District in the Western Cape. The warning remains in effect from Friday until Sunday afternoon.
The strong winds may cause localised damage to temporary structures and settlements, and could affect travel services, resulting in longer journey times. High-sided vehicles may experience difficulties on exposed routes.
Voters advised to prepare for cold conditions
The weather service has advised citizens to dress warmly, particularly those travelling to and from voting stations. The combination of low temperatures, rain and wind may create uncomfortable outdoor conditions.
Voters are encouraged to allow additional travel time where showers and strong winds are expected, and to stay informed by following the latest weather forecasts and warnings from SAWS.
The public has been urged to remain cautious of unauthorised or unverified information sources and to avoid distributing such information.
ALSO READ: Electoral Commission prepares for nationwide voter registration weekend
